Missing Pieces
by LunaNueva522
Summary: AU in which Maura is an actress and Jane is hired as one of her bodyguards. This story has taken on a life of its own. Feel free to board the wild ride and let me know what you think along the way. Rated M for Rizzles fun ;)
1. Worlds Apart

A/N: 1) This story is AU in which Maura is a famous actress and Jane gets hired as one of her bodyguards. 2) This can be set pretty much anytime (but I imagine it to be after the pilot, except that Jane killed Hoyt instead of just shooting his hands). 3) The rating will likely change as things heat up between these two! 4) The backstory for each character is only slightly changed. (These differences will be revealed as the story unfolds.) It is important to remember, however, that these characters will be somewhat different, strictly due to the fact that they don't have each other in their lives yet. 5) I own nothing, I make no money, I just like having fun with these characters to get my creative juices flowing.

* * *

Jane rolled over in bed as her phone rang. She knew it was her mother, again. She didn't want to talk, but she also knew that her always-concerned mother would eventually show up if she continued to ignore her calls. She leaned up on one elbow and brought the phone to her ear.

"Yes, mother?" Jane heard the sleepy raspiness in her voice, though it sounded somewhat distant.

"Are you still in bed, Jane?"

"Did you really call just to ask me that?" she deflected, irritation creeping into her tone.

"No, I called to see if you wanted to have lunch with your mother, but since it's past noon and you're still in bed, I'm guessing the answer is no."

Jane sighed, and Angela took the opportunity to continue her motherly rant.

"I'm worried about you, Jane! You don't want to do anything anymore. You don't want to spend time with your family, you don't go anywhere or see anyone, you don't even want to go back to work!"

"Ma, why are you complaining about that? You hated it when I was a detective."

"Yes, I did. But I hate this even worse. You're depressed, Jane."

"I'm not depressed," Jane lied, "I'm just… figuring some things out."

"I'm your mother, and I know you. It's not like you to act this way."

Jane sighed, knowing her mother was right. The truth was, she _had_ been trying to figure things out. Like why she was so angry, and why she had been so angry for so long. Like why she couldn't admit to herself that killing Hoyt had, in fact, been a choice. But then it always became too much for her, and she'd end up trying to drown her anger and confusion with alcohol, until there was nothing left to do but sleep. Her mother had every right to be worried, so she thought of a compromise.

"Okay Ma, how about I come over tomorrow and you can make me dinner?"

"Oh Janie, I would love that! I could call Frankie and make it a family dinner?"

"Whatever you want, Ma. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Okay, honey. Come over around five. I love you."

"Love you too, Ma." Jane ended the call and threw the phone onto the nightstand, where it slid through a pile of clutter and fell to the floor, taking a few of the items with it. She sighed and looked around her room. "This place is a mess," she realized aloud. She slid off the bed and picked up her phone, stopping to analyze the items it had taken down on its fall: a few receipts, a bar napkin with some guy's number on it, a couple wadded up dollar bills- mostly trash that she had dumped out of her pockets after a few late nights at the bar, back when she was still attempting to inhabit the land of the living. One thing, however, caught her eye. It was a business card from an old police academy friend she had run into at the Dirty Robber. He was running some sort of security company out in California, and had offered Jane a job in "executive protection" as he'd called it. The card was bright blue and shiny, like something fresh and new, something far better than the fog she had been living in.

Jane considered the possibility as she stepped into the shower, allowing the hot water to wash her body clean. A fresh start. A place free of the ghosts of her past. But could she really pick up and move across the whole damn country? Start all over, as if nothing ever happened? Be a different, happier person? The idea was nearly overwhelming, but it was also the first glimmer of hope she'd seen in weeks, and she held onto it like a life preserver. Energized, she got out of the shower and cleaned her entire apartment from top to bottom, popped a frozen lasagna in the the oven, and opened a beer. Sitting down at the kitchen table with just her beer and the business card, she dialed the phone.

"Hello, Paul?" she swallowed. "It's Jane Rizzoli. I was wondering if that job offer still stands?"

* * *

"So we're going to do the west coast first. _Jimmy Kimmel_, _Ellen_, _The Tonight Show_…"

Her agent, James, was rattling off a list of stops on the press tour for her newest movie, but Maura wasn't really listening. This was, after all, the third part of her series, and mostly a repeat of the first two. She could do it in her sleep by now. It was the same everywhere: show up, let them make you up, go on stage, say what you're supposed to say, and be sure to smile pretty. She loved acting, but the publicity side of the business often bothered her. Today she wasn't feeling particularly interested in the details.

"I'll have Dave bring some outfits by your house tomorrow- Maura are you listening to me?"

"Huh?" Her head shot up, shocked out of her reverie by the mention of her name. "Oh, uh sorry. Dave. Outfits. Tomorrow. Got it." She offered a fake smile as assurance.

"Okay. You ready for this?"

"Piece of cake."

"Alright. I'm going to make sure you get some extra security for the tour, of course. This third installment is likely to bring out some additional crazies. Also, don't forget about the dinner I told you about."

"Oh yeah, with the guy from what's-it-called-"

"I'll send you the details when we get a date pinned down…"

He kept talking, but Maura still wasn't listening. Instead, she stared through the window behind his desk at the sprawling city of Los Angeles, the place she'd called home for many years now. She remembered when she'd first moved here, a bright-eyed college freshman, so full of hope for her future. Of course, that girl never would have imagined the things that were to come, never would have dreamed her life would turn out this way. She wondered what the eighteen-year-old Maura would say if she could have a glimpse into this moment. Would she be surprised at the change in her own path? Would she be proud of her success? Or would she the loss in her eyes and run the other way? Looking out at the crowded streets, Maura wondered if the younger, less jaded version of herself would know how to fill the emptiness she felt inside.


	2. A Mistake

A/N: I decided to go ahead and post this chapter with the first one, because it was just too sad to me that they hadn't met each other yet. The next chapter is also nearly finished and should be up soon. Unfortunately, I still do not own these characters, nor do I make any money. This is just for fun. Please enjoy!

PS- I love reviews, good or bad! :)

* * *

Three weeks after that fateful phone call, Jane sat in front of Paul's desk in his swanky Los Angeles office. Having completed a very intensive training course on the specifics of protecting a high-profile individual, she was deemed ready for her first assignment.

"Jane Rizzoli, decorated BPD homicide detective... I never thought I'd actually see you here! Not that I'm not delighted," he grinned at her. "Your scores are impeccable. Which is excellent, because I have an assignment I'd like you to start right away."

Jane smiled back at him politely. "Great," she replied, attempting to feign excitement, "care to tell?"

"Maura Isles-"

Her eyebrows shot upwards. "As in, _Queen of the Dead_, Maura Isles?"

"Yes. She's doing a promotional tour for _Queen of the Dead 3_ and she needs some extra bodies on detail. You'll be working that for now, and afterward we'll have a new assignment for you."

"Um, okay. So where do I report?"

He gave her a folder with all the details, made her sign some sort of confidentiality agreement she didn't care to read, and sent her on her way. As promised, she called her mother on the way home, and told her about her new assignment. Angela, a big _Queen of the Dead_ fan, was thrilled to say the least.

"Oh, this is so exciting! Do you think you can get an autograph? Or maybe a picture with her?"

"I don't know, Ma. I don't think that's the way it works," Jane answered, thinking that maybe she should have read that agreement after all.

"Well, when do you start?"

"First thing tomorrow morning."

"Don't worry, Janie, you'll do great."

"Sure," Jane replied, wishing she could be as excited as her mother. She sighed and added sarcastically, "Everything's going to be great."

* * *

The next morning, Maura had arrived at the studio half asleep and sipped coffee while the hair and makeup girls did their thing. She'd tried to make casual conversation, but failed as usual. She couldn't figure out why the things she said so often made people uncomfortable. Sometimes it amazed Maura how she could be so loved by her fans, so disliked by strangers, and so misunderstood by those she met, all at the same time.

The show had gone well. She'd said everything she was supposed to, didn't say anything she wasn't supposed to, and she'd smiled her pretty smile. Afterward, she gathered a few belongings and headed out of the studio alone. It was a bit unusual for her to travel alone, _ever_, but James was concerned about a recent tabloid report mentioning the word "diva", so he had insisted, for publicity's sake, that the rest of her entourage wait in the parking lot. And she always went along with whatever James said. As soon as she exited the studio, however, an excited mob of people rushed toward her, screaming, nearly knocking her off her feet. Paparazzi were there, pushing forward, light bulbs flashing inches from her face in quick succession, obscuring her vision. Between the screaming, the loud questions, and the repetitive flashes, Maura's senses quickly overloaded. She became disoriented, dizzy. It was terrifying.

Suddenly a deep but feminine voice, calm but very assertive, overpowered the others. "Alright everybody, take a step back!" Two strong hands clasped her shoulders and began guiding her in a forward motion. "Step back! Thank you!"

Maura was still having trouble seeing where she was going, but trusted the strong hands and pushed forward under their guidance. The voice, now quieter, whispered in her ear as they walked. "You're okay. Just keep moving."

When she got past the screaming crowd and into the safety of her black SUV, the hands were gone as quickly and mysteriously as they'd appeared, and she was seated next to her manager as the vehicle quickly departed.

"I'm so sorry-" James started.

Maura held up her hand for him to stop, closed her eyes, and took a few deep breaths to center herself. When she looked up, she met his wide, expectant eyes. "Never again," she said quietly, but definitively, and he nodded, relieved. She then turned to the large man in the front passenger's seat, her head of security. "Thomas?"

"Miss Isles, I tried to tell him-"

"Who was that?" she asked, interrupting him.

"Who?"

"The one who pulled me out of there?"

"Oh. Uh... new girl, Jane Rizzoli. She's just on for the tour. First day."

"Please be sure that I see her personally after we arrive back home."

"Of course, Miss Isles."

"Thank you, Thomas."


	3. Something Special

A/N: Thank you so much to all my readers, reviewers, followers and favoriters! (I know that's not a word, but I don't care.) Y'all keep me going!

Sorry it has taken me so long to wrap up this chapter and get it posted, and I wish it was a bit longer, but I promise there is MUCH more to come. ALL reviews are ALWAYS appreciated!

Of course, I don't own anything, I'm just having bit of fun.

* * *

Maura sat at the head of her large mahogany dining table, enjoying a spring salad when Thomas brought in a very nervous, very attractive, tall brunette. Maura swallowed her food and eyed Jane fully, regarding the woman who had rescued her with charmed surprise. She smiled brightly and extended her hand in greeting.

"Jane Rizzoli, correct?"

For a moment, Jane was speechless. Initially this was due to nerves about possibly being fired for ruining the publicity stunt, but as soon as Maura smiled at her, every thought instantly vanished and she was simply awestruck. She had seen Maura Isles in some of her movies and on a few late night talk shows in the past, and of course during the incident earlier, but this… this was different. Face to face, without an adrenaline-fueled crisis, Jane was completely taken aback by how absolutely, undeniably beautiful this woman truly was. It was easy for her to see why Maura was a movie star. How could anyone so stunning be anything but famous?

Realizing she was being rude, Jane shook her head to right her thoughts and finally answered sheepishly. "Uh, yeah… er, yes." _Get it together, Rizzoli!_ She cleared her throat and finally grasped Maura's hand. "Yes, ma'am. Sorry."

"No need to apologize," she shook Jane's hand, "I'm Maura Isles."

Jane couldn't restrain a chuckle and a smile. "Yes, I know who you are. It's a pleasure to officially meet you, Miss Isles."

"Would you like to sit down?" She gestured toward the chair on her left.

"Sure," Jane answered warily, taking a seat.

"Jane, I want to talk to you about what happened today at the studio."

"About that, please give me a chance to apologize-"

"Oh Jane, you have nothing to apologize for! The mistake was not yours, believe me. That should never have happened. I was honestly terrified before you stepped in, which I realize was quite a risk for you. I really appreciate that."

Jane smiled and sighed with relief. "Thank you. I was just doing my job."

"No, thank _you_. And you did a better job on your first day than the guards I've had protecting me for years," she said, shooting a quick glance at Thomas, who only shrugged, then returning her gaze to Jane. "I think you have good instincts. So I've told Thomas that I want you to be my number one. I want _you_ by my side, protecting me everywhere I go, until this tour is over. Would you be okay with that, Jane?"

Jane was genuinely shocked. She'd thought this conversation was more likely to leave her unemployed than technically promoted. "Um, sure. If that's what you want, Miss Isles."

"Excellent!" Maura smiled at Jane's agreement. "Oh, and you should call me Maura. We'll be spending a lot of time together, so it's probably best that we're on a first-name basis, don't you agree?" she added, rather matter-of-factly.

"Of course... Maura." Jane smiled. There was a quirkiness about Maura that she found amusing and intriguing. She was nothing like what Jane had imagined, and very pleasantly so.

Maura dismissed Thomas to resume his usual duties, leaving the two women alone, then turned back to Jane. "Would you like something to eat?"

"No, thank you."

"How about a beverage?"

"Sure," Jane answered gratefully, her mouth bone dry. "Some water would be great."

Maura rose and walked the few steps into the large open kitchen to retrieve a bottle of SmartWater from the fridge, and handed it to her with a smile.

"So, Jane," she started as she returned to her seat, "tell me a little about yourself." The request was a socializing technique that Maura had been taught many years ago, but it excited her to realize this was the first time she could remember being so truly interested.

"Okaaay," Jane shot her a sideways glance. "What do you wanna know?"

"Anything."

They spent the afternoon sharing various details about their lives and touring Maura's magnificent home. As they spoke, Maura learned that Jane was from Boston, had two brothers, and used to be a homicide detective. Despite her curiosity, she did not find out why Jane had so recently packed up and moved across the country. She wanted to ask, but Jane's clenched jaw and clipped comments suggested it was a rather sensitive subject. Maura listened eagerly when Jane spoke of her family, all still back in Boston. She told Jane how her own parents had died in a horrible accident when she was nineteen, which Jane didn't admit that she already knew from a Google search she'd done the night before. What she did not previously know, however, was that Maura had studied forensic pathology before switching to acting. This seemed strange, not only because the career paths are so vastly different, but mostly because she just couldn't picture the chic, refined Maura Isles in a morgue, cutting up dead bodies like Dr. Pike back in Boston.

Both women secretly found themselves quite surprised at how quickly they established a connection. Despite their vast differences, there seemed to be something about them that just clicked. They had become so wrapped up in each other that they were startled when another guard came to relieve Jane at the end of her twelve-hour shift.

"Wow, is it really that time already?" Jane asked, glancing at her watch with surprise.

"Yes, I suppose it is," Maura answered dolefully. The instant connection she felt with Jane was rare and special, and she was afraid to say goodbye. She wanted to invite Jane to stay, but decided it was likely bad form. Instead she met Jane's eyes and gave her a sweet smile. "I hope we can continue our conversation tomorrow. I've really enjoyed talking with you, Jane."

"Me too. I guess I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight, Maura."

"Goodnight."

As she walked out to her car, Jane tried to identify the warm sensation growing inside her. It was exciting and foreign and decidedly wonderful. Maybe things were finally starting to look up.


	4. Inappropriately Smitten

A/N: A HUGE thank you to every reader out there! It amazes me how many people are actually reading and enjoying what I've written. You all are THE BEST and I hope you continue to stick with me and this story. I know it's moving a little slowly, but things should only get more interesting from here!

* * *

Jane slept surprisingly well that night and woke the next morning feeling somehow lighter than she had in a long time. When she arrived at Maura's for work, she found her in the home gym, jogging briskly on the treadmill, a fine sheen of sweat coating her skin. Maura smiled when she saw Jane walk in.

"Jane! Good morning!" Her words bled excitement, despite her labored breathing.

"Good morning," Jane smiled back. "You know you can get there faster if you get off that machine."

Maura chuckled, already becoming accustomed to Jane's sarcasm. "Keeping fit is part of the job. It also happens to be one of the parts I enjoy." She pressed a button on the machine that slowed her pace to a walk. "I'm just warming up for my trainer. He's on his way."

"Nice little gym you've got here," Jane commented, looking around.

"Thanks. I spend quite a bit of time working out, especially for filming, or these promo tours. Maintaining a certain body image is imperative in this industry. If I want to work, I have to look like they want me to." She frowned. "It's not my favorite thing about Hollywood."

"Well my job also requires that I stay fit," Jane countered.

Maura raised her eyebrows and gave a small grin. "Touché. Speaking of which, you know you're welcome to use the gym anytime you want."

"Thanks, I might just take you up on that. The gym at my building smells like feet."

And just like that, they picked up right where they'd left off the night before.

The next couple weeks went by incredibly quickly. There were talk shows, radio shows, magazine interviews, photo shoots, dress fittings... There was always somewhere for Maura to be, and of course Jane remained by her side. It was a lot different than working homicide, but Jane found that she was enjoying herself, and each day seemed a little brighter than the last. The fog she'd been living in for so long seemed to be lifting. She'd even started waking up earlier to work out in Maura's gym before her shift, which delighted Maura more than she cared to admit. Jane spending time with her outside of working hours reinforced her belief that they had some kind of friendship building, which was both rare and exciting for Maura. When they were working, she took Jane everywhere and always kept her a bit closer than necessary... inside her dressing rooms at the studios, in hair and makeup, she even had a tendency to drag Jane with her to the restroom. Not because she was being demanding, she just really enjoyed her company. Besides, they were usually so immersed in conversation that flowed right through each activity, it just seemed natural.

It was a couple days before they were scheduled to leave for the overseas part of the tour and they had just returned home from a radio show. David, Maura's stylist, was on his way over with a selection of promo-gig garments, so they were sitting together on the couch, waiting for him to arrive.

"I never would have imagined how much preparation goes into you simply showing up somewhere," Jane commented.

"We have to make final decisions on what I'll wear for each appearance, and make any final adjustments now. There won't be time for that when we're abroad, as our schedule will be rather tight."

Jane's face twisted slightly and she looked down at her feet. "So, are you ready for all this Europe stuff?"

Maura sensed her unease. "It's really not that bad, you'll see. Just a lot of traveling, in a very short period of time. How about you, are you ready?"

"I don't know. I don't exactly travel well." Jane took a deep breath. "I'll be fine though."

"Do you get sick?" Maura's voice was one of concern.

"Just nervous, mostly."

"You'll be fine," Maura reassured her. Then added teasingly, "You can even hold my hand if it makes you feel better."

"Oh?" Jane raised her eyebrows and smirked. "You promise?"

"Anytime." She grinned.

"Are you flirting with me, Maura Isles?" Jane was almost incredulous.

Maura shrugged evasively. "It is a fact, Jane, that studies have shown hand-holding to induce a positive neural response, including that of stress reduction-

"Maura, my darling!" A voice boomed from the doorway, interrupting their playful banter. Both women turned to see a short, flamboyantly dressed man with arms outstretched. His demeanor was pure energy.

"Dave!" Maura rose to greet him, giving and receiving air kisses on each cheek. "Good to see you, as always. Have you brought everything?"

"You know it, girl! We're all set up in the next room. Everything's here, all the alterations have been made and," he lowered his voice conspiratorially, "I picked up a few extra beauties for you to wear at your own discretion." He winked at her, then turned his attention to Jane. "And who is this model-lookin' thing over here?"

Jane glanced quickly behind her, seeing no one, and turned back, putting her hand on her chest for clarification. "Me?"

"Ooh and modest too? Wherever did you find her?" His eyes remained on Jane, raking up and down her lithe frame.

Maura giggled. "Dave, this is Jane Rizzoli. She's doing some security work for me for the duration of the tour."

"Hi, it's nice to meet you," Jane blushed at all the attention.

"Security work? Mmmm girl, look at you! You are way too pretty for that, honey! You're like a six-foot Barbie doll and I just wanna dress you up!" he gushed.

"Yeah, I don't see that happening, like _ever_," she answered drily.

Dave would not be deterred. "Never say never, darling!"

Jane rolled her eyes and Maura laughed as they made their way to the makeshift dressing room. The actress took her time trying on the many designer garments, mostly lavish dresses in the most luxurious of fabrics, and modeling them each for Dave's approval. Soon though, she found herself taking account of Jane's subtle reactions to each sexy outfit, and paying less attention to her stylist. Maura smiled to herself. Jane, to her credit, was making a valiant, but unsuccessful attempt to control the rapidly increasing heart rate she couldn't explain. She was sure her features were betraying her as well. Trying to make herself invisible, she was embarrassed when her growling stomach reverberated through the room and turned the attention to her.

Maura's amusement turned to concern. "Are you hungry, Jane?"

"My stomach seems to think I am," she answered. "Come to think of it, I did skip breakfast this morning."

"Why don't you go to the kitchen and get yourself something to eat?"

"Maura, I don't think I'm allowed to eat your food. Company rules and all."

"Oh. Well, I don't mind, but I certainly don't want to get you in any trouble either. Go get yourself some lunch, then."

"Nah, I don't want to leave you. I'll just wait."

"Don't worry, Jane. I'll be fine. Dave and I will be here for a while, and the other guards are in the garage watching the monitors, as usual. Go. Eat."

Jane sighed. "Alright, I'll just go get something and bring it back. You sure you're good?"

"Absolutely. Go."

"Okay. You want me to pick you up anything?"

"No thanks. I'm saving all my extra calories for Europe," she admitted. "It's sweet of you to ask, though."

"Of course. Anytime." They shared a smile and a look- the look that had started appearing between them lately, that lingered- the one that made Maura's stomach flutter and electricity shoot up Jane's spine.

"Okay," Jane breathed finally, not wanting to leave. "Just call my cell if you need anything. I'll be quick."

Maura's eyes followed Jane out the door. Having forgotten Dave was even there, she didn't notice him watching her.

"So," Dave asked, "what was _that_ about?"

"What?" Maura was genuinely confused.

"_What?_ You two, that's what!" he answered cheekily.

Maura gave him a bewildered look, but said nothing.

"Don't play coy with me, honey! There is obviously something going on here!"

"There isn't anything 'going on here'..."

"_Mmmm_hmmm..." His tone made it clear that he wasn't buying her story.

"Dave!?"

"I always knew you had a little lez in you-"

"DAVE!"

"What? She's hot! You know, for a girl."

"Well she is gorgeous," Maura admitted.

"HA! See! I knew it!"

She slapped his arm playfully. "Do you really see something there?"

"Uh, YEAH! You two are obviously smitten! It's written all over your pretty little faces!"

"And you don't think it's... inappropriate?"

"Oh, it's totally inappropriate, honey!" He chuckled at Maura's frown. "But that just makes it more _delicious_, don't you think?" He winked at her.

She looked down. "I wouldn't know."

"Don't waste an opportunity like that, girl! You'll regret it. Trust me."

Maura looked back him with something akin to fear, and he became serious for the first time since he'd arrived.

"What's stopping you?" he asked.

She sighed heavily and looked away. "Everything."


	5. Uncharted Territory

A/N: Welcome back! Sorry it took so long to get this chapter posted! I spent all weekend moving, so it was quite a challenge finding time to write and edit. Please forgive me for any errors (hello, exhaustion). Also, since my internet isn't connected yet, I'm uploading from a friend's house. I really want to thank everyone for your interest in this story. As long as you are enjoying it, I'll do my best to keep it going as far as it can reasonably go!

* * *

Jane sat upright in the airplane seat, eyes wide, jaw clenched, fingers white from her tight grip on the armrests.

"Jane, relax," Maura soothed. "We're not even moving yet."

"I'm good," she replied tightly, her voice betraying her words. Just then the plane began to taxi out onto the runway. "Oh dear God," she choked out under her breath.

Maura immediately took Jane's hand and laced their fingers together, placing her other hand on top and squeezing tightly. She lowered her voice to a whisper and leaned in close to Jane's ear. "Just breathe in slowly, through your nose... Good, now hold it... Okay, slowly breathe out through your mouth, just like that. Yes, keep doing that, Jane..."

After a dozen or so slow, controlled breaths, Jane swallowed and turned her head to Maura. A strained "thanks," and the tiniest hint of a smile were all she could manage.

"Jane, you still appear anxious. I brought my iPod, would you like to listen to some music? Studies have shown that listening to certain types of music during times of high stress can lower anxiety levels, heart rate, blood pressure-"

"No!" Jane blurted out. She didn't want Maura to move and let go of her hand. "No, thank you. Can you just keep talking to me? Please?"

"Of course. What would you like me to talk about?"

"Anything. I don't care."

"Okay..." Maura thought for a second, then with a small smile she began recounting an old anxiety-related tale of her own. "The first time I ever performed on stage, I was so nervous- even more nervous than you probably are right now..."

Maura narrated the event in meticulous detail, and the longer she talked, the calmer Jane became. She laughed at the funny parts of the story, and delighted in the closeness they were sharing, completely distracting her from her fears. After about an hour, Jane had nearly forgotten they were in flight and their discourse returned to normal. There was something a little different though, because even long after the moment had passed, neither woman made any effort to remove her hand from the other's grasp.

Over ten hours of talking, napping, and periods of discreet hand-holding later, they touched down in London. They went through customs, along with Thomas and Maura's assistant Steve, then made their way briskly to the waiting town car, avoiding the curious public as best they could. In the car, Jane stared excitedly out the windows to the cobblestone streets and ornate buildings. She had never been to England, so the experience was new and a bit surreal. Maura watched her with a silent smile. She had traveled the world, a few times over probably, not even keeping track, but seeing it through Jane's eyes was a different experience entirely. She felt a strange but comfortable warmth bubble up inside of her. Maybe this tour would be different, after all.

When they arrived at the hotel, Jane's eyes grew wide and she gasped.

"_This_ is where we're staying?"

The brick and limestone building was enormous and elegant, with tall columns reaching up to the sky, and a huge door that looked like it belonged in a castle. It was far more luxurious than anyplace Jane could remember setting foot in, let alone being an actual guest.

"Yes Jane," Maura replied, amused by her awe. "Is it up to your standards?"

Jane's reply came soaked in sarcasm. "Oh yeah, I suppose it'll do."

The interior of the hotel was at least as spectacular as the exterior, with black and white marble floors, carved mahogany furnishings, elegantly framed artwork... every inch overflowed with splendor. Steve handled their check-in and Thomas personally checked Maura's room for any potential threats while the others waited. The hotel staff had already brought up their belongings by the time they reached their rooms. Jane was given the adjoining room next to Maura's, and Thomas and Steve were sharing a large suite across the hall. Maura insisted they all take the rest of the night off to get some rest for the very busy day tomorrow, as the hotel could attend to any unexpected needs that might arise.

"Well," Jane said after the men had already left, "I guess I'll go ahead over to my room too. Give you a chance to get settled and rest. If you need anything at all, you can call me and I'll come right over."

"Oh." Maura tone was clearly disappointed. "I was hoping we could open the door connecting our rooms. But if you would prefer your privacy, I'm okay with that as well."

Now that they were on the road and traveling with a smaller security detail than they had in L.A., Jane was technically on duty 24/7, including at the hotel. In fact, being Maura's primary guard, it was her job to keep Maura's room secure, even in the middle of the night, which is probably why she was given an adjoining room in the first place. Not that she was complaining. "No, we'll keep it open. I was just trying to offer you the same privacy."

"Great," she replied with a smile. "You go get settled. I think I'm going to rent a movie to help me relax before bed. I'm not nearly as tired as I should be. You're welcome to join me if you'd like."

Jane's suitcase was waiting for her on the bed. There was no sense in unpacking it, since they'd only be at the hotel a couple of nights, so she just grabbed an old BPD shirt and a pair of sweatpants to put on for the night. Meanwhile, Maura slipped into a satin pajama set and poured herself a glass of wine from the gift basket the hotel had left for her.

"Wine?" she offered Jane when she returned.

"No thanks. I'm kind of on duty, so I should really keep a clear head."

"Okay, but it's fine with me if you change your mind. This hotel has excellent security, so you don't need to worry."

They settled at opposite ends of the couch and flipped through the on-demand selection. "What do you want to watch?" Maura asked.

"Why don't you pick? You're the movie expert, after all."

"Oh here's an old favorite! Do you like _Fried Green Tomatoes_?"

Jane raised an eyebrow. "Are we talking about movies or food now?"

Maura chuckled. "The movie, _Fried Green Tomatoes_!"

"I don't think I've ever seen it."

"Never?"

Jane shook her head.

"Well, we'll have to fix that."

She dimmed the lights and started the movie, occasionally sneaking peeks at Jane's reaction to all of her favorite parts. When the movie ended, Jane had tears in her eyes but Maura had somehow made her way to Jane's lap and fallen asleep. She looked down at the blonde and smiled. In just a few short weeks, they had gone from strangers to co-workers to friends, and suddenly she could feel something more simmering beneath the surface. She felt so comfortable like that, she didn't want to move, but she knew they both needed to get a good night's sleep, in a real bed. She gave herself until the credits finished rolling to revel in the moment, then shook Maura gently.

"Maura. Hey, Maur-"

Maura groaned and looked up at her, momentarily confused. "Oh, did I fall asleep?"

"Yeah, you missed half your movie."

"That's okay, I know how it ends." She smiled. "Did you enjoy the movie?"

"I did. It was a good selection. Idgie and Ruth were a couple, weren't they?"

"Yes they were, though their relationship was more obvious in the novel. I have it if you ever want to read it."

"Maybe. But I think we ought to get to bed now. Big day tomorrow."

Maura sighed. "Yes, I suppose you're right." She didn't want to move either.

They both rose and stretched, and Jane headed for her room, turning briefly at the doorway. "Thanks for the movie. Yell if you need anything, okay? Goodnight, Maur."

"Goodnight Jane."

They each turned out the lights and tucked themselves into bed. Jane fell almost immediately into a blissful sleep, but Maura was having trouble wrestling with her thoughts in the dark. When she had fallen asleep on the couch, she'd had a dream that left her feeling a bit ruffled. She couldn't remember many details, but she and Jane were definitely more than friends in the dream, and it felt very real. Maybe it was the conversation she'd had with Dave before she'd left, or all the time they'd spent together on the long flight there. Maybe it was being so close to Jane, breathing in her scent while she slept and waking up in her lap. Whatever it was, Maura couldn't get Jane out of her head and she had no idea what to do about it.


	6. Just Us

A/N: Okay... y'all asked for longer chapters, so here you go! Sorry it took so long to get posted, but life and other projects have kept me busy lately. I am definitely devoted to seeing this story through though, so I really appreciate all your support! I've also been trying to stay a chapter ahead in my writing, but I couldn't wait to post this once I finished editing, so I hope you enjoy it! Also, I'm changing the rating to T now, just to be on the safe side. It will likely turn to M in the near future, so consider yourselves warned. I'll try to let y'all know before that happens, but since I'm posting super-fresh chapters these days, I can't promise anything. (I'm thinking of posting a link & updates to tumblr (sexyladyshipper) if you want to stay in the loop.) Anyway, enough chat... enjoy the chapter!

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The night was over too quickly and the next day was pretty much a blur. Maura and her small entourage got started before dawn with a morning talk show, continued straight to a press junket, then immediately began preparing for the premiere that evening. Jane accompanied Maura to her hair and makeup session, which was the first time that day they'd had a chance to say more than a few words to each other. However, neither was talking. Both were stewing in their thoughts and stealing nervous glances at each other every few minutes.

It was the makeup artist, Kelly, who finally broke the silence. "So how are you enjoying London?" she asked Maura politely, in her sing-song accent.

"Oh it's lovely, as always," she answered sweetly. "What about you, Jane?" Maura asked Jane's reflection in the mirror, her eyes hopeful. "This is her first time visiting," she whispered to Kelly.

Jane looked up, surprised to have suddenly been addressed. "Oh uh, it's really nice. I wish we could stay longer, so we could have time to really enjoy it."

"Well then, you'll have to come back someday for pleasure, rather than work." Kelly proceeded to rattle off a list of her favorite places that Jane would just have to visit if she ever did come back for a vacation. Maura added a few opinions here and there, and the comfortable feeling slowly returned throughout the conversation.

Maura looked absolutely stunning for the premiere. Her designer gown was dark blue with a halter neckline and open back, the silky material flowing almost to the floor, where a pair of matching heels added about four inches of height to the actress. Jane's jaw nearly hit the floor when she saw her, and her body started sending her signals she didn't completely understand. Warmth flushed across her skin, her breathing increased and she licked her lips unconsciously. Since when was she turned on by a woman in a dress? Maura saw Jane's reaction in the mirror and smiled to herself, remembering the dream she'd had while sleeping in Jane's lap the night before. She wasn't a guesser, but if Jane's response was any indication, her ever-growing feelings might be returned in at least some aspect.

The event went very smoothly, Jane hanging by the sidelines with the other guards while Maura walked the red carpet with the director and some of her co-stars who had also flown in for the premiere. Afterward, the cast enjoyed some late night drinks at the hotel bar before retiring to their individual rooms, leaving Maura rather tipsy as she made her way back to her suite. She stumbled on the way through the door, Jane catching her before she hit the ground.

"Woah, there. Slow down, you little lush," she said jokingly, guiding her towards the bed.

"Ooh thank you! Sorry, I don't usually drink like this. I think I will sit down." She plopped down on the edge of her bed, kicked off her heels, and fell back against the mattress. The room was spinning, but she was too tired to get up.

"You should probably get some rest," Jane suggested. "The sun will be up in a few hours and we have a plane to catch."

Maura groaned. "Just a nap... and we can sleep on the plane." She started fumbling with her necklace, trying to remove it but failing due to her inebriated state. "What is wrong with this thing?" There was a slight slur to her words.

"Nothing, it's _you_!" Jane chuckled and sat down on the bed next to her. "Here, let me help." Maura rolled her head to the side to allow Jane access to the clasp on her neck and the intoxicating scent of her perfume drifted up to Jane's nose. She tried to ignore it as she removed the expensive jewelry and set it on the nightstand. The indescribable pull she felt near Maura, that magnetic feeling, was growing too strong for comfort. "I'll go so you can get changed for bed. Do you need anything?"

Maura's eyes were already closed while she spoke. "Just you," she breathed.

Jane sat up straight suddenly, shocked. She didn't know how to respond. _What do you say when the woman you work for, now your best friend, says something like that? What does it mean?_ Jane shook her head. Maura was just drunk, she didn't know what she was saying... right?

Jane opted for a change of topic. "Um, aren't you going to change out of that very expensive designer gown?"

"Nope." Maura yawned slowly, her eyes still closed. She spoke softly, almost dreamlike. "You can stay here if you want. You can sleep here. With me."

_Okay that's twice_, Jane thought. She swallowed. She didn't say anything. She didn't move.

After a moment of still silence, Maura pushed herself up on her elbows and crawled up to rest her head on the pillow. She curled up on her side and patted the empty space next to her as yet another invitation. Jane still didn't say anything as she slowly took off her boots, removed her jacket, and lay down next to Maura, facing her. Their faces were inches apart on the pillows. Maura's eyes were still closed, but Jane could tell by her breathing that she had not yet fallen asleep. "Do you want me to sleep here?" Jane whispered.

Maura smiled slightly and nodded, releasing a sigh of contentment. Jane examined her features, desperate to know what she was thinking behind that beautiful face. "Why?"

She waited a long time for Maura to answer, but when her breathing evened out, Jane realized that she had finally drifted off. She rolled over onto her back and stared at the ceiling. She still had on her work clothes, which weren't particularly comfortable, and she contemplated getting up to change and returning to her own bed. But she couldn't bring herself to leave Maura's side. She couldn't think of anywhere she'd rather be.

Just a few hours later, the alarm clock blared and Jane woke with a start, scrambling to shut it off. Maura sat up and yawned, stretching in the evening gown she had refused to take off the night before. She turned and looked at Jane beside her, momentarily confused, then smiled.

"Morning," she greeted, sleep still in her voice.

"Is it?" Jane raised her eyebrows and nodded toward the large window. It was still dark outside.

"Yes it is. We have an early flight this morning," Maura answered seriously.

"For which you may want to find some more comfortable attire."

Maura looked down at her dress. "Oh, yes." She looked at Jane. "I suppose you need to change clothes as well."

"And shower," she added, standing up to collect her jacket and boots.

"Me too. And a dose of acetylsalicylic acid would be helpful."

Jane looked at her, baffled. "A-what?"

"Aspirin," she clarified. "For my head. And water to rehydrate."

"Don't you mean 'dihydrogen monoxide'?" Jane mocked.

Maura smirked and threw a pillow at her playfully. "Go get ready!"

"Yes ma'am!"

After they each showered and changed, they met up with Thomas and Charlie and departed for the airport. The flight to Spain was only about two hours, and Jane did considerably better this time around. Maura held her hand again, which somehow felt even better than it did the last time, and they napped through most of the flight.

The hotel in Madrid was just as ornate as the one in London, only with a classic Spanish flair, and Jane and Maura were again given adjoining rooms. They ordered room service and ate together in Maura's suite while Maura pointed out landmarks through the window, giving a full history and geography lesson all at once. They had a late night talk show appearance later that evening, which went very smoothly, and then returned to the hotel very late. After they changed into pajamas, Maura enjoyed some more expensive gifted wine while they watched Spanish television on mute and made up their own words. Maura couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed so much.

"I can't believe it's after three in the morning and I'm not even tired," Jane sighed. She had even shared some of Maura's wine, at her insistence, but it didn't make her sleepy like it usually did.

"A symptom of desynchronosis," Maura told her. "Commonly referred to as 'jet lag'. Your biological clock is more attuned to Pacific Standard Time. It's barely after six in L.A."

"Do you always know what time it is in L.A.?" she asked, half-sarcastically.

"Well, yes," Maura answered seriously. "It's simple math, Jane. Madrid is one hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time, and California is eight hours behind, making for a total of nine hours difference. Except, of course, when daylight savings time changes are not concurrent."

Jane stifled a giggle. She hadn't meant the question to be taken so literally, but then again she must not have considered her audience. Everything seemed technical to Maura, and her supply of random knowledge seemed endless. Jane always found herself wondering what was going on inside that beautiful mind. "Do you ever get homesick?" she asked suddenly.

Maura looked at Jane, now concerned. "Are you homesick?"

"I asked you first."

She sighed. "I'm used to it, I guess. I've been doing this for a long time."

"How did you ever... get used to it?" Jane wondered aloud.

Maura thought quietly for a moment, then took a deep breath and stood up. She reached a hand out toward Jane. "Come here, I want to show you something."

"Are we going somewhere?"

"No questions. Just follow me."

Jane shrugged and let Maura pull her up off the couch.

"Here," Maura said, tossing a throw blanket at Jane and grabbing one for herself. "Bring that with you."

Maura picked up the room key, tucked it into her bra, and peeked her head out the door to see if anyone was in the hallway nearby.

"Uh, where are we-" Jane started, but stopped when Maura turned to her with an exasperated expression. "No questions. Right. I'll just shut up now." Still, she pushed her way to the door, making sure to position herself close to Maura in case of any trouble. They linked arms as Maura led them down the hallway, past the elevators, and through the door to the stairwell. They climbed all the way up without a word, listening only to their footsteps echoing off the narrow walls until they reached the final door at the top. Maura used her weight to push it open and stepped out onto the roof. The cool night air enveloped her, bringing her an instant sense of harmony and causing her lips to curl into a small smile. She held the door open for Jane to follow, pulling the room key out of her shirt and expertly wedging it into the locking mechanism as she let the weight of the door pull it closed, while not allowing it to lock. Jane continued to watch silently as Maura spread her blanket out on the floor of the roof and stretched out on top, motioning for Jane to join her.

"Come here. Bring that blanket, it's a little chilly."

Jane did as she was told, laying shoulder to shoulder with the slightly smaller woman, and unfolding her blanket to cover them both. They stayed like that in silence for a few moments, until Maura pulled an arm out from beneath the blanket and pointed up to the sky.

"Do you see that constellation right there?"

Jane had no idea what she was pointing at. "Uh, I see stars…"

Maura leaned closer to Jane, trying to better align their fields of view. "There," she pointed again, this time moving her fingers in the air to outline the shape of the constellation as she spoke, "it's like a house. See the square there, and the triangle for the roof?"

"Oh yeah, I see it now! What constellation is it?"

"That's Cepheus, named after King Cepheus of Ethiopia. Greek mythology. And see there, on the left, shaped like a 'w'? That's his wife, Cassiopeia. They had a daughter, Andromeda- her constellation can be seen from here in the fall. Cassiopeia and Andromeda were vain and boastful women. They insisted their beauty was so great, it eclipsed even that of the Nereids." She looked at Jane. "Sea nymphs."

Jane looked back at her and smiled. She was captivated by Maura, and Maura could tell. It excited her in a way she couldn't describe. She smiled back, then looked back to the sky, continuing her story.

"The Nereids, angry and resentful, complained to Poseidon, the god of the sea. Upon hearing of the women's arrogant claims, Poseidon sent a great flood to the land of Ethiopia, along with the sea monster, Cetus, to destroy the family's kingdom. King Cepheus was given a choice, however. He could save his kingdom, but he would have to sacrifice his daughter. So Andromeda was chained to a cliff to be sacrificed to Cetus-"

"Wait," Jane cut in, "so he sacrificed his _own daughter_ to save his land or whatever?"

"His whole kingdom, Jane. His choice likely would have saved everyone in Ethiopia. It could be considered a noble sacrifice. Besides, it was her own arrogance that brought on Poseidon's wrath in the first place."

"This is a horrible story."

"It gets better," Maura promised as she continued. "So Andromeda was chained to the cliff, waiting for the sea monster to devour her, when Perseus, nephew to the King of Argos, came sailing by. He saw Andromeda chained to the cliff and instantly fell in love with her. Perseus killed the sea monster and rescued Andromeda in a heroic act of valor. They were quickly married and ran off together. He eventually became a king himself."

"Okay, so the story did get better," Jane admitted, then added drily, "though I hope she and her mother learned some humility."

Maura chuckled. "Anyway, these constellations are called circumpolar constellations. It means they can be seen year-round from anywhere in this hemisphere. These stars, the ones we're looking at now, here in Madrid, are the same stars I can look up and see from my own backyard in Los Angeles. Almost anywhere I go, I can look up and see these same stars. New York, Berlin, London, Turkey-" she paused and looked at Jane, waiting for her to meet her gaze before continuing, "-Boston. Wherever I am, I can come up to the roof and look at these stars. They're always here and always the same. They almost feel like home to me."

Jane finally understood why Maura had brought her to the roof. "Do you come up here and tell this little story to all your homesick employees?"

"I've never told anyone, actually. No one even knows I come up here." She turned and her eyes focused on Jane, studying her. "And I think you know by now, Jane, that you're much more than an employee to me."

Jane raised her eyebrows. She did know, of course, but she was still surprised to hear her say it out loud. She decided to push, to use her detective skills and see what else Maura would reveal. "Is that so?"

"Don't be coy. I know you know." Her tone was serious.

"You never really answered my question earlier."

"What question?"

"Do you get homesick?"

Maura sighed heavily. "You need a home in order to be homesick."

"What do you mean? You have a home. A damn nice one too, if you ask me."

"I have a house, Jane. It's not a home. There's a difference," she said quietly.

"You're right, there is a difference," Jane agreed softly. "So make it a home."

"It's not that easy. Especially in this business."

"You always talk about 'this business' and 'the industry' like you despise it. Why do you do all this if you hate it?"

"It's so complicated. I love acting. I always have. It's what brought me out of my shell as a child in school. It forced me to be around people and gave me the social skills that I needed to thrive. When I went to college, I kind of gave it up initially. I focused on my studies, worked on finding a good internship with a qualified medical examiner, and then the accident happened."

Through their many conversations, she had learned how affected Maura still was by the death of her parents, despite all the time that had passed since. It was something she barely touched on, but Jane could sense a deep sadness there. She gripped Maura's hand in the dark.

"It was instantaneous," Maura told her. "I was told they didn't suffer. But I did. I felt so alone. My parents were the only family I had, and they were gone. I didn't really have any close friends, just acquaintances. So I threw myself back into acting. It gave me the opportunity to put myself aside and be someone else, even if only for a little while. It was an escape. I guess it still is sometimes."

"I'm sorry, Maura." She didn't know what else to say.

"I miss them, everyday. Not that we were ever that close to begin with, but at least they were here. I knew they cared about me and wanted a good life for me. I guess that's why they adopted me, after all."

"What? You never told me you were adopted!"

Maura shrugged. "I never told anyone."

"And no one- even the press- ever found out?"

"I was an infant, it was a closed adoption, the records are sealed. My parents were very private people. They didn't even tell their friends."

"Wow." Jane thought for a moment, then turned fully towards Maura to look her in the eyes. "Your parents never told anyone, you never told anyone... so why tell me?"

"I don't know," she answered honestly, looking into Jane's eyes with a depth she could never voice. "Maybe because I trust you. And because you make the bad things in my life seem not so bad. It seems illogical because we haven't known each other for very long, but I've never felt so close to anyone in my life as I do to you, Jane."

It was very sudden and unexpected. Jane didn't even realize what she was doing until her lips touched Maura's. The kiss started soft and tentative, but electrifying. As soon as it started to deepen, Jane pulled away quickly.

"Shit, Maura! I'm so sorry, I have no idea what I was thinking!"

"Please don't apologize Jane-"

"No, that was totally out of line. I'm so sorry. You're my client and-"

"No, Jane." Maura's tone was firm, but gentle. "Not right now. Right now I am not your client and you are not my security. Right here, right now, it's just you and me. Jane and Maura. No jobs, no titles. Just us." Her eyes remained locked on Jane's. "Okay?"

"Okay." Jane smiled. "That's good because I really want to kiss you again if that's-."

But Maura didn't give her the chance, because she wrapped her hands in Jane's hair, pulled her face toward her, and kissed her with every ounce of passion she had.


	7. Not Today

A/N: My sincerest apologies for taking so long to update! I won't bore you with details. Please enjoy!

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_But Maura didn't give her the chance, because she wrapped her hands in Jane's hair, pulled her face toward her, and kissed her with every ounce of passion she had._

The kiss was broken only by their desperate need to breathe. Both women panted as they stared into each other's eyes, searching for visual confirmation of what they both felt.

"Wow," Jane said finally, still a little out of breath.

Maura smiled, taking her hand from behind Jane's head to stroke the side of her face, then finally cupping her cheek. Her eyes slowly scanned her face, as if committing it to memory. "You are so beautiful," she whispered.

"Hey, that was supposed to be my line," Jane quipped, unable to stop grinning.

Maura let out a small laugh, and Jane decided it was her favorite sound. She silently vowed to make Maura laugh as often as she possibly could from that moment forward.

They stayed on the roof like that for almost an hour, kissing and cuddling under the stars. There was no urgency, no anxiety or fear, just the two of them living blissfully in the most perfect moment. Eventually their bodies began to ache from lying on the hard surface, so they decided to retire back to Maura's suite, sneaking back hand-in-hand like naughty schoolgirls. Without discussion, Jane climbed into Maura's bed and wrapped her body around the blonde's slender frame. Maura craned her neck around for a soft goodnight kiss, and snuggled her body back into Jane's, falling into a wonderful sleep.

That night, Jane dreamed she was sailing an ancient vessel, fully armored, when she spotted Maura tied to a cliff. She was perched precariously above an enormous, grotesque sea monster with sharp, yellow teeth the size of Christmas trees. Jane jumped from the vessel, running so fast across the water that she reached the monster before she began to sink, leaping on his huge back. With her sword, she battled him in the rocky surf, nearly drowning several times in the struggle, but never giving up. She could hear Maura cheering her on from where she was trapped above, watching intently. Finally, Jane climbed on the monster's chest and rammed her sword through his cold heart with all her strength, twisting until his movements ceased. When she was sure he was dead, Jane scaled the cliff with ease, rescuing Maura, who rewarded her with kiss after sweet kiss. So it didn't surprise her when she woke up to Maura's lips on hers.

"Sorry," Maura whispered, looking up at Jane bashfully, caught in the act. "Your lips just looked so... kissable. I guess I couldn't help myself."

Jane smiled and returned the chaste kiss with one of her own. "You never have to apologize for that."

They shared a few soft kisses before Maura pulled away and snuggled against Jane with a sigh. "I have to get ready," she said reluctantly. "I have a magazine interview and another screening today."

Jane groaned and squeezed her tightly. "I wish we could just stay like this all day."

"Mmm, me too."

"Five more minutes?"

Maura smiled against her neck. "I think we can spare five minutes."

They spent the next several days stealing fiery glances and secret smiles at work, anticipating the moment when they could hide behind the hotel doors and return to their own little world. It was understood that they would have to maintain their distance around others, but that didn't make it easy. It always seemed to take forever. In their evenings alone, they kissed and cuddled and talked and laughed. Neither wanted to officially acknowledge what was happening, for fear of somehow ruining it, but both wanted it with a passion they couldn't tame.

Late one evening in Glasgow, after finally making it back to the safe haven of their room, they fell immediately into each other's arms. Their kiss was heated by the angst of the day, being able to see but not touch, and Maura felt arousal growing within her. This was happening increasingly often and it both excited and terrified her. She broke the kiss to catch her breath.

"Do I leave you breathless, Maura Isles?" Jane joked, laboring to replentish her own oxygen.

"Regularly, Jane Rizzoli."

"Good, then we're even." She winked.

"What shall we do tonight?"

"I don't know. I hadn't really thought past kissing you. We could just keep doing that."

Maura laughed and leaned in for another kiss, just as Jane's phone started to ring.

"Dammit!" She pulled it out of its holster and looked at the caller ID. "Of course it would be my mother." She looked at Maura apologetically. "Sorry, I gotta take this."

"Of course. I need to get changed anyway."

Jane nodded and accepted the call. "Hi Ma!"

"Jane!" Angela's voice boomed from the other end of the line. "You haven't called me, what's going on? Are you okay?"

"Yes, Ma, please stop worrying. Sorry I haven't called. I'm still in Europe."

Her tone changed immediately. "My little girl is a world traveler! It's so exciting, Jane! How are you doing with all the flying? I know how you hate to fly."

"Well, Maura kinda helps me out with that."

"Oh. She doesn't give you drugs, does she? I heard those Hollywood people like to do a lot of drugs-"

"Wha- no! No, she does not give me drugs, mother! Maura doesn't do drugs!"

"Okay, you don't have to get so defensive! Maura seems like a sweet girl, but I've never actually met her. You never know these days. Though you could introduce me to her sometime. Anyway, I just wanted to call and check on you and make sure you're doing okay."

Jane watched Maura as she uncorked the red wine and strolled into the bedroom. "I'm... better than okay, actually," she said with a broad smile. "And I appreciate you checking on me."

"You do?" Angela sounded skeptical. "Since when? Who are you and what the hell have you done with my daughter?"

Jane laughed. "It's me, Ma, don't worry. I'm just... I'm really enjoying myself right now."

"Oh, I'm so glad to hear that, honey! This is the best I've heard you sound in a long time. Maybe getting out of Boston really was the right choice for you." She sighed. "I still miss you though."

"I miss you too, Ma. And I love you," Jane said earnestly, thanking God she still had her mother in her life, while remembering that some, like Maura, were not so fortunate. "And I'm sorry that I don't tell you that often enough."

"Oh, Jane! I love you too! So much!" Angela's voice was full of joy. She wondered what had gotten into Jane all of a sudden, but she decided to just let it be for now. She was just happy that Jane seemed so happy.

They chatted for a while, catching up on where Jane had been, the things that she had seen, and all the happenings of the Rizzoli family back in Boston. Maura listened from the bedroom, wishing her own mother could call, and they could catch up on all the things they'd missed. She felt a pang of jealousy and instantly hated herself for it. There was just so much she wished could share with her mother, but would never be able to. After nearly twenty years, you'd think she would have gotten over the loneliness, but she had only learned to live with it.

This new thing with Jane- it was something unlike anything she had ever experienced. Jane's very presence took that empty feeling away, and replaced it with something wholly unfamiliar. Something big and beautiful and wonderful- and absolutely terrifying. She never imagined she would feel this strongly for Jane, and so quickly. Maura had learned by now that to love was to get hurt, and thinking about her parents now was the biggest reminder of that. And the more you love, the more pain you must endure when it inevitably ends. She was torn between allowing herself the joy of being with Jane and saving herself from the hurt that was to come later.

"Hey," Jane leaned through the doorway to the bedroom where Maura was sitting on the bed, lost in thought. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she replied, looking up and forcing a smile. "Everything okay with your mother?"

"Oh yeah, everything's fine." Jane came in and sat down on the bed next to her. "Helicopter mom likes to check in pretty regularly, so... are you sure you're okay?"

"Of course." She gave Jane a peck on the lips as assurance, then tried again to change the subject. "Do you want to get out of here? Go grab a bite to eat or something?"

Jane frowned. She had been looking forward to being alone with Maura all day, and now she wanted to go back out in public where they'd have to put unnecessary space between them again. But she could also tell something was up with Maura, and maybe she did just need to get out for a bit. "Sure, if that's what you want. Personally, I'm not very hungry."

"Me either," Maura admitted. "How about we just go for a walk then?"

"Okay. I'll call Thomas and-"

"No," she interrupted quickly, "that's not necessary. I don't want the whole entourage, please. I just want some fresh air."

"I don't know, Maura. It doesn't seem safe. I can't even carry a weapon here."

"It'll be fine, you won't need one. Residents don't carry weapons either, by law."

"It's not the law-abiding citizens I'm worried about."

"We'll go incognito. Please, Jane?"

When Maura gave her those puppy-dog eyes, Jane's heart melted along with her resolve. "Okay, fine. But stay close to me, alright?"

Maura's smile returned. "It would be my pleasure."

They both changed into jeans and hoodies, aimed at blending in with a crowd. Maura put her hood up to aide in her disguise, and they made their way out onto the dark city streets. Since they were trying to camouflage themselves, they allowed a rare public intimacy, Jane wrapping her arm around Maura and pulling her close. They walked in a comfortable silence for a while, until Jane couldn't take it anymore.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked finally.

"Talk about what?"

"Whatever has got you wandering the streets at night?"

Maura sighed heavily. "No, I don't think so." She looked up at Jane. "But thank you for asking."

"You know how much I care about you, right?" Jane asked.

"I believe so, yes."

"You know you can tell me anything?"

Maura remained silent. Jane stopped suddenly, startling her, and put her hands on Maura's shoulders. She stared her straight in the eye for several seconds before she spoke. "Look, I know we haven't really talked about what's happening between us, and I admit to some fault there, because I've been so afraid I'll say something to mess it up. But I want you to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that even though I can't explain it, even though I don't really understand it, _I love you_." Jane put significant emphasis on those last three words, making every attempt to drive the meaning home. "And honestly, I'm still working out the details in my head, but I know love you, Maura, and I will love and support you one thousand percent, no matter what. You can tell me anything and there's nothing you can ever say that would make me feel any different."

She searched Maura's eyes for some sign of understanding, but she could only see sadness and fear. The fear she understood. The fear was present for her too, always and increasingly so. Because Jane had never known anyone who could love her for exactly who she was. Everyone always seemed to want to change her somehow, to make her fit their mold of who they thought she should be, but not Maura. Maura knew her, Maura loved her, and Maura never tried to make her into someone she wasn't. But Jane knew that could all change at any moment. One of her greatest fears was that Maura would finally realize Jane wasn't good enough for her, and every beautiful thing in her world would come crashing down. Parts of her told her she should get out first, run before the inevitable happened, but she could never bring herself to actually do it. She was already too far gone.

"I-I-," Maura started crying, silent tears falling fast, before she could get out another word. Jane had said it. She'd said those words. _I love you_. Three words, three syllables, eight letters... and far more meaningful emotion than could ever be quantified. It wasn't that she didn't already know it to be true. It wasn't that she didn't feel the exact same way. It was that everything had just changed in an instant, the stakes made immeasurably higher. Now that it was spoken, it was real.

Jane hugged Maura tight against her chest, praying to God or whoever was listening that she didn't just ruin everything. Finally Maura pulled away slightly, sniffling, her eyes red. She kissed Jane sweetly and smiled at her, eyes still wet with tears. "I love you too, Jane," she whispered. "So much. And it frightens me to my very core."

"It scares me the hell out of me too!" Jane agreed enthusiastically, eliciting a giggle from them both. "So what should we do?"

"Well, Eleanor Roosevelt said you should do one thing every day that scares you," Maura said contemplatively.

"And I scare you? I'm trying really hard not to make that into a dirty joke." They laughed again.

"Okay how about this quote by C. Joybell: 'Don't be afraid of your fears. They're not there to scare you. They're there to let you know that something is worth it'."

"I like that one." Jane leaned in and kissed her softly, letting her hands slide down Maura's arms to grasp her hands, then kissing the back of each one with a playful sweetness. "Because you are worth it."

"_We_ are." Maura gave Jane one more kiss on the mouth before they continued walking, hand-in-hand down the street.

Jane soon started to notice the thinning of other pedestrians as they walked. Normally this wouldn't alarm her, but they were in a strange city and she was regretfully lacking her sidearm, making her feel nervous. "Hey Maur, maybe we should turn back."

"Sure, if you want."

They stopped to turn around, releasing hands for only a second to do so, and he sprang on the opportunity. Neither of them saw him coming, and before they knew what was happening, he already had Maura's body pinned against his chest, knife to her throat.

"Money!" he screamed at them in a gruffy Scottish accent. He was large, taller than Jane, and sturdy, but his movements were frantic. "Now!"

Maura felt the cold steel of the blade against her skin. She could hear her pulse beating in her ears. She was paralyzed with fear.

Jane fought to remain steady as panic threatened to overtake her. "We don't have any money! We were just going for a walk. We didn't bring any money, I swear!"

Maura felt the blade barely pierce her skin, a small trail of warm blood spilling across her neck. _A threat, or a promise?_ She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing, trying to shut out the fear, but it was useless. She prayed this man would believe them and let her go. She didn't want to die, not today. Not on the day she told her she loved her.

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A/N: The next chapter will likely bring this story to an M rating. I hope you will continue to follow along as we move into more adult themes. Either way, thank you so much for coming along on this journey! :)


	8. What's Best

A/N: As always, sorry for taking so long to update! (Shout out to any Orphan Black fans: "Kind of always late, so kind of always sorry." -Cosima. That's me all the way!) Anyway, I have rewarded your immense patience with a nice long chapter. I hope you enjoy!

PS: We're still in "T" territory for now... M rated fun times are not far away though ;)

* * *

_Maura felt the blade barely pierce her skin, a small trail of warm blood seeping out onto her neck. A threat. She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing, trying to shut out the fear, but it was useless. She prayed this man would believe them and let her go. She didn't want to die on the day she told her she loved her._

"Here!" Jane removed her watch and threw it at the mugger, turning his interest from Maura for a split second- just long enough to make her move. She grabbed his wrists, ripping him quickly away from Maura and pushed him into the brick face of the building behind him. She slammed the hand with the knife into the wall, bloodying his knuckles and forcing him to drop the weapon while pinning his hand against the brick. With her other hand grasping his other wrist, effectively restraining him against the wall, she drew her knee up forcefully into his groin. He groaned in agony, doubling over in pain, and she released his hands to punch him hard in the face, his head jerking with the force of the blow. Blood poured from his nose as she hit him again, busting his lip wide open and staining his teeth deep red. His hands flew to his face for protection, and she kicked him in the stomach, violently forcing the air from his lungs. When he fell to the ground, bloody and beaten, Jane picked the knife up off the ground and tossed it into a nearby trash can before enveloping Maura in her arms.

"Are you okay?" she asked, hurriedly looking Maura up and down.

"Yeah, I think so," she answered, her hand covering the cut on her neck.

"Let me see your neck."

"I'd rather not release pressure just yet. Let's just go back to the room so I can get a good look at it."

Jane jerked her head up in surprise. "Maura, we need to get you to a hospital! We need to call the police and have this asshole arrested!"

"No! Jane, we can't do that! It will be all over the news – it will be a huge mess." She looked at Jane with renewed panic in her eyes. "Please Jane, let's just go."

"Maura this is serious-"

"Jane, please," she begged.

Because she was apparently incapable of saying no to Maura, Jane agreed for the moment and they walked briskly back to the hotel, Maura clinging to her the entire way. When they got back to her suite, they went straight into the bathroom to examine Maura's neck. The fresh cut was just over half an inch long and not quite deep enough to require stitches. It had stopped bleeding, so they worked together to clean, seal, and bandage it with the supplies they found in the room's first aid kit. Maura repeatedly refused to see a doctor or to report the attempted mugging, despite Jane's many attempts to convince her otherwise. She was insistent that no one find out about the incident, lest any of the details make it to the press, especially her late night walk alone with Jane, and the kiss that her mugger likely witnessed before the attack. She only hoped he didn't know who she was, or that if he did, he'd keep his mouth shut, given the circumstances.

"You're absolutely sure we can't tell somebody about this?" Jane asked again, both frustrated and concerned.

"Can we please just drop it?" Maura pleaded, walking out of the bathroom to sit on the edge of the bed and remove her shoes.

Jane followed her. "Maura you could have been killed!"

As the adrenaline faded from her body, the realization began to set in for Maura that she really could have been killed. She could be dead right now – or worse, dying alone in the street – had Jane not been there to save her. She felt her heart rate increase, the pounding in her chest growing in intensity the more she thought about it. She tried to take a deep, slow breath, to clear her head of the images, but she couldn't seem to fill her lungs with air. It felt like someone was sitting on her chest.

"Maura, are you okay?" Jane stared into her panic-stricken eyes.

She looked up at Jane and swallowed, unable to speak. Her hands went numb and she started to shake.

"Oh baby, come here," Jane soothed, frustration now replaced entirely by worry. She sat down beside her and pulled Maura into her lap, wrapping her arms around her, and squeezed tightly. She gently rocked her back and forth, softly whispering words of comfort in her ear.

It took a long time, but eventually the trembling subsided, and Maura's heart rate seemed to return to normal. When she finally felt like she could breathe again, she rasped into Jane's ear a quiet but sincere, "Thank you."

"Are you okay?" she asked again.

Maura nodded.

Jane searched her eyes for confirmation. "What can I do?"

"Just hold me."

Jane hugged her tightly. "Come on, let's get under the covers."

They kicked off their shoes, removed their jeans and hoodies, and wiggled under the covers together. Jane pulled Maura to her chest, and Maura snuggled into the crook of her neck, the raw smell of Jane calming the rest of her over-excited nerves. They lay like that in silence for several minutes, just breathing each other in.

"Thank you for saving me," Maura said finally, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I'll always save you," Jane replied softly.

Maura smiled against her skin. "You were very... badass."

Jane chuckled. "Oh that's nothing. You should have seen me when I was on the force. I could easily take down guys twice his size. Drug dealers, murderers... I'd have 'em on the ground and in cuffs before they knew what hit 'em." She smiled fondly.

"You really liked being a detective, didn't you?"

"I loved it. I was damn good at it too."

"So why did you quit?"

Jane sighed heavily. "That's a loaded question."

Maura remained silent, hoping Jane would elaborate.

"I killed a man," she said finally. "A bad man, a very bad man. A serial killer."

"Is that a bad thing?" Maura was genuinely confused.

"Only because I didn't have to kill him," Jane admitted. "And I've never said that out loud to anyone."

"But he was a serial killer, right? Isn't the world a safer place without him?"

"Yes, definitely. But I shouldn't have done what I did. I should have arrested him, let him have his fair trial, and rot in prison for the rest of his life. That's what good cops do. It wasn't my place to do what I did." Jane felt nauseous even thinking about it.

"I'm sure you did what you had to do," Maura said, stroking her arm tenderly.

Jane shook her head. "No. I didn't have to kill him. But I was so angry, I- _I wanted to_. I made a conscious choice. I _wanted_ to kill him and I did." Jane didn't know why she was spilling her deepest secret to Maura as if she was her therapist, but she couldn't stop. "In that moment, I became just like the killers I hunted down. I became one of them. And now I have to live with that every single day of my life. What I did. What I am."

Maura pulled away slightly to look at Jane's face. It was dark, contemplative. Worry lines creased her brow and her eyes seemed unfocused. Maura wanted to reach into whatever world Jane had slipped into and pull her out, bring her back. "One little moment of your past does not define who you are, Jane."

"Oh, there was nothing little about this moment, trust me." She went on to explain the entire Hoyt fiasco, starting from the very beginning. She told Maura about working the case, hunting him down, about being knocked out and pinned to the floor with scalpels, terrified of what he was about to do to her. "I never felt so scared, so vulnerable. That's just not me. I've always been the strong one, you know? The brave one, not afraid of anything. Hoyt changed that, and I guess I started to forget who I was."

"You don't seem afraid anymore."

"Well, being afraid made me angry, because that was easier for me, I guess. I was so mad all the time, and I wouldn't talk about it to anybody. They made me see a shrink, but I just said what I had to say so that I could get cleared for duty again. I took out my anger on every perp, every case. I took it out on my family, my co-workers. The few friends I had just sort of disappeared. Then when Hoyt escaped prison, he came after me again. I didn't seek him out, he came after me to finish what he'd started."

"So then wasn't it technically self-defense?"

"Officially, yes. Truthfully... not so much. I had already shot his accomplice in self-defense – that part doesn't bother me – and had subdued Hoyt with a taser. He was lying on the ground, pretty much defenseless. I stood over him and I aimed my gun at his chest, right at his heart. I looked him in the eyes," she paused and took a breath. She'd never told the real story to anyone. "And I shot him dead."

Maura laid her head on Jane's chest, trying to think of the right thing to say, but coming up empty. Instead, she traced slow patterns on Jane's arm.

"So you see," Jane said, "I'm the same as him now."

"No," Maura argued firmly. "You are _not_ the same." She reached up to run her hand through Jane's hair. "You are strong. You are brave. You're smart. And you're a good person, Jane."

"No, I'm a killer."

She shook her head. "It's not that simple. Think of all the people who got to live because of what you did. All the potential victims whose lives you saved. You're a hero."

"I'm not a hero."

Maura leaned up on her elbow and looked into Jane's eyes, holding her with her gaze. "You are to me."

Jane stared back into hazel orbs, searching for signs of doubt, but not finding a single one. "I wish I could see myself the way you do."

Maura kissed her softly, and Jane closed her eyes, giving in to the passion that had been building. She pulled Maura closer, quickly deepening the kiss, letting all of her emotions flow through her. Her hands wandered from the back of Maura's head down to her shoulders and back, caressing the tight muscles, and landing finally on her firm backside. Maura's body reacted favorably to the touch, her hips began to roll and a small moan escaped her lips. The sound caused a jolt of electricity to run through Jane, straight to her core, and she felt wetness growing between her legs.

"Woah," she said, pulling back suddenly.

Maura blushed. "Sorry. Did I get carried away?"

"Uh no, actually I think I did," Jane sighed. "I'm still trying to figure this out."

"Figure _what _out, exactly?" Maura was genuinely confused.

"This. Us." Jane lowered her gaze to avoid looking at Maura. "The fact that I want to do things with you I've never even thought about with another woman."

"Such as?"

Jane's face reddened. "Don't make me say it."

Maura felt bold enough, though. "Sex?" Jane didn't answer, so she continued. "I've been thinking about it too."

Jane's head shot up. "Really?"

"Yes," she chuckled and gave Jane a sly smile. "A lot, actually."

"With me?" Jane pointed to her own chest, still in disbelief.

Now Maura had to outright laugh. "Yes, of course with you!"

Jane was momentarily relieved. "Wait. Have you ever – _you know _– with a woman before?"

"No. Though I've always found the idea rather... intriguing."

"Well what if we try it and we're no good at it?"

"Why are you so worried?" Maura wondered aloud.

"Because I don't want to lose you."

"Jane, what we have between us isn't going away over something as trivial as intercourse."

"Ugh, can you please _not _say the word 'intercourse' ever again?"

"I'm serious. If, on the off-chance, we're not 'good at it' as you say, then we'll simply have to keep practicing until we get 'good at it'. Fair enough?"

Jane smiled brightly and squeezed Maura again. "How did you get to be so perfect?"

"I'm not perfect, Jane."

"You are to me." She offered a soft kiss as evidence of her feelings. "But I don't know if I'm ready for... _you know._"

"That's okay. There's no rush," Maura assured her. "All I want right now is for you to hold me until I fall asleep."

"That, my dear, I can do."

Then with smiles and a kiss, they fell asleep in each others' arms.

That night, Maura's screams woke Jane in a panic. The room was dark and empty, except for the two of them, and it only took her a few seconds to realize that Maura was having a nightmare. She shook her gently.

"Maura..."

Still asleep, Maura pushed Jane away, screaming at her, hitting and kicking violently in the bed.

"Maura!" She yelled this time, grabbing Maura firmly by the shoulders, and her eyes shot open, wide and terrified. "Maura, honey, it was a dream. It was just a dream," she soothed, pulling the blonde to her chest and gripping her tightly.

Maura clung to Jane, trying to steady her breathing while surveying her surroundings. It took her a moment to be sure that she was in fact here, in the hotel suite with Jane, and not in an abandoned alley, bleeding to death alone on the pavement. A thick layer of sweat coated her body, and had drenched the twisted sheets beneath her.

"Jane," she whispered in relief, maintaining her firm grip.

"Shh, it's okay. I'm right here. Everything's okay."

When Maura calmed down, she pulled away to look at Jane, slightly embarrassed. "Sorry, I don't know what happened."

"I'm pretty sure what happened is that you had a nightmare," Jane said softly. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head. "I don't remember much."

"What do you remember?"

Maura took a few deep breaths. "Dying," she said finally, and looked down at her lap. "Alone."

"Hey." Jane put her hand under Maura's chin and lifted her face so they were eye to eye. "I will never let that happen, okay?"

Maura nodded. She knew Jane would do anything in her power to keep her safe, but she also knew that some things were out of her control. Her hand flew instinctively to the bandage on her neck. _If Jane hadn't been there..._

"Try not to think about it," Jane said, removing Maura's hand from the wound and holding it between her palms. "We have an early flight. Do you think you can sleep?"

"I'm going to try."

Neither of them really slept, but they held each other silently until the alarm went off, then got up to shower. Maura removed the bandage on her neck and covered the glue-sealed mark with makeup as best she could. The ride to the airport was quiet, as both women were too tired from lack of sleep to attempt conversation, and the three hour flight to Rome was no different. Their attempts to nap on the plane were thwarted by several bouts of turbulence, leaving Jane more than a little unsettled. There was no time to rest afterward either, because they had to go straight to the studio to begin hair and makeup for Maura's interview. Jane sipped coffee and watched, captivated, as Maura carried on a conversation in Italian with the makeup artist. She almost didn't notice when Charlie sat down next to her. In fact, she almost didn't notice Charlie at all, most of the time. He was a small man, close to Maura's height but chubbier, with ugly Simon Cowell-looking hair and eyebrows so high he looked perpetually surprised. His plain appearance and dainty voice made him typically inconspicuous, but there was a vexing air about him today that Jane noticed and tried to ignore.

"She's really something, isn't she?" He motioned toward Maura. His voice was quiet, but there was something mildly antagonistic in his tone that Jane didn't appreciate.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Sure."

He chuckled. "Nice. Act like it's nothing."

She was way too exhausted for this bullshit. "If you have something to say, Charlie, just say it. I'm too tired today for childish games."

"Aww, but I like games," he said mockingly.

Jane took a deep breath to calm her irritation. It didn't work. "Don't you have somewhere to be?"

"Nope. I'm her assistant, remember? I'm here to assist her."

"Well she's got plenty of assistance right now, so how about you run along? I'll come get you personally if she needs you."

"I bet you will."

"Charlie, so help me-

"I see the way you look at her. The way you two buddy up and run off together, spending all that time alone together in her room. It's inappropriate, you know."

Jane swallowed. She thought they'd been more careful in front of the others. And how did he know she'd been spending so much time in Maura's room? Their rooms were adjoined, no one could have known which one she was in at any given time. Perhaps he was guessing. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Okay, keep pretending. But you can't keep it a secret for long. People notice things. The looks, the little touches, holding hands on the plane... it's only a matter of time."

She huffed. "What are you saying, exactly?"

"I'm saying you should stop whatever it is you're doing. For her sake and yours. You'll lose your job, you'll get blacklisted. Worse yet, it could ruin her career. Do you really want to be responsible for that?"

Jane looked down. She knew the prick was right. "No."

"Good 'cause I don't wanna end up working for someone like Naomi Campbell."

Jane looked back up at Maura, smiling through her weariness as she chatted away in smooth Italian. She was so beautiful, in every way. And the way she made Jane feel when they were together – that feeling was completely incomparable to anything she'd ever felt, and probably ever would. This amazing woman had given her so much emotionally, had taken away her anger and replaced it with something wonderful. How could she return the favor by willingly ruining Maura's life?

When they finally got to the hotel suite that night, Maura could tell something was the matter with Jane.

"What's going on with you?" she asked as soon as the door shut behind them.

"Huh? Oh, nothing."

"Your body language suggests otherwise," she remarked with a raised eyebrow.

Jane sighed. Maura didn't miss a thing. "I'm just tired. It's been a long day on very little sleep."

"Sorry. I guess that's kind of my fault." Maura looked down at her hands.

"Hey," Jane grabbed Maura's hands in her own, suddenly feeling guilty. "It's not your fault, okay?" She wanted to kiss her, to pull her into her arms and tell her everything was just fine, but she didn't. "How's your neck?"

"It's fine. Doesn't hurt."

"Did the makeup artist say anything?"

"I just told her I'd had a little incident last night. I didn't elaborate and she didn't ask."

"That's good." She let go of Maura's hands and turned towards her own room. "Well, I'm exhausted. We should probably try to get some sleep."

Maura furrowed her brow as she watched Jane walk away into her own room. She decided to go ahead and change into her pajamas and wait on the couch for Jane to return. When Jane failed to come back after several minutes, dressed for bed as usual, Maura decided to go investigate. She tiptoed quietly through the door to the adjoining room and found Jane sitting on the edge of the bed, hunched over with eyes closed and her head in her hands.

"Jane?" she asked tentatively, "is everything okay?"

Jane's looked up, her pained expression almost too much for Maura to bear. "Uh, yeah. I told you, I'm just tired. I might, um, sleep in here tonight."

Maura stepped back as if she'd been slapped. "Alone?"

"If that's alright with you."

"Of course," she said slowly, wrapping her arms around herself. "Staying with me – or not staying with me – is always your choice, Jane."

Jane knew what choice she wanted to make, but she did what she felt was best. "Okay," she said with a tight smile. "Goodnight then."

"Goodnight."

Maura turned to leave, but then she stopped. This didn't feel right. She couldn't give up this easily. Not on Jane.

"But first," she said, turning back to face Jane again, "can I make one request? Not as someone you work for, but as your friend?"

Jane shrank back. She didn't want to hear Maura's request because her willpower was fading. She was hurting Maura, she could see it, and it was breaking her heart. She needed her to leave, so she nodded her consent to get this request over with.

"Please tell me _why_." Maura's voice broke on the last word and a single tear fell down her cheek.

Jane's resolve shattered. She jumped off the bed and hugged Maura tightly. "It's because I love you," she whispered.

"What?"

"I love you, Maura, and I don't want to be your downfall."

"Jane, what in the world are you talking about?"

She sighed and pulled Maura down on the edge of the bed, sitting next to her. "Charlie said something to me today."

"Okay...?"

"He's noticed... the way we interact. He knows there's something going on between us."

"Charlie's my PA. He signed a contract with a confidentiality clause, which he's legally bound to abide by. He can't say anything or he could be sued, and he knows that."

"I doubt he's the only one, Maura. If he's noticed, other people eventually will too."

Maura took a deep breath. "Maybe we'll just have to be more careful when we're around other people. We'll... not hold hands on the plane, we'll avoid touching each other at all in public if we have to. But this is our safe haven, Jane. This is where we can be together however we want and it's no one's business but ours."

"We're risking your career!"

"You don't think I know that?"

"Don't you care?"

"Jane, if my acting career goes up in flames because I fell in love with you, then it will be _my_ fault, not yours. Let me worry about that."

"See that's the thing, I don't _want_ you to worry about it. I don't want to be the cause of your worry at all."

"Well that's tough, Jane, because I worry everyday that you're going to get scared and run off on me. Pretty much like you're doing now."

"I'm sorry Maura, the last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you. I'm just trying to do what's best for you."

"No, you're trying to do what _you think_ is best for me. But in this case you're wrong." She brushed a stray lock of hair from Jane's face and tucked it lovingly behind her ear before placing a meaningful kiss on her lips. Her eyes were full of unshed tears when she looked into Jane's chocolate eyes. "What's best for me, Jane, is _you_."


	9. Named Desire

It's been a long time coming... and here it is! FINALLY! I didn't think I'd ever get this chapter finished, but I refused to give up because you all keep me going. This chapter is for you, kind reader! :)

(We're travelling into M territory now, so be warned. I still don't own anything, because if I did you'd be seeing this on the screen and not reading it here. Enjoy!)

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"_No, you're trying to do what you think is best for me. But in this case you're wrong. What's best for me is you."_

Jane chewed her lip. "Are you sure?"

Maura smiled and nodded. "Absolutely."

Jane smiled back and leaned in for a kiss before she realized what Maura had said. "Wait, did you just say you... _fell in love_ with me?"

Maura nodded. "Isn't it obvious?"

"Well I think that you love me, but _in love_..." Jane was caught between skepticism and elation, "that's something completely different."

Maura took a deep breath. "What I feel with you _is_ something completely different. It's different than anything I've ever felt. I can't even describe how you make me feel. I am definitely in love with you, Jane Rizzoli. And you better not try running off for my sake, because losing you would be the worst thing that could happen to me."

Jane pulled Maura to her lap and squeezed her tightly, peppering her face with kisses until they both started giggling. When their laughter subsided, still smiling, she looked into Maura's hazel eyes. "I want to protect you, in every way possible. Because I am in love with you too, Maura Isles, and I will do whatever it takes to make you happy."

"All you have to do is stay. That will make me happy."

Jane pulled her in for a long, sensuous kiss. When their lips parted, they leaned cozily into each other, utterly exhausted, the weight of the day settling around them. They spent several minutes simply basking in the comfort of each others' bodies, feeling and appreciating each other's warmth.

"Maura?" Jane finally whispered.

"Hmm?"

"Let's go to bed."

"Let's sleep here," she suggested, weariness evident in her voice. "I'm so tired."

"Okay."

"Okay," Maura echoed, climbing under the covers.

Jane removed her clothes, except for a t-shirt and underwear to sleep in, and curled up closely behind her. She wrapped an arm around the smaller woman, pulling her even tighter, and whispered in her ear. "Sweet dreams, beautiful."

"Sweet dreams," Maura murmured back, and fell into the sweetest slumber.

As exhausted as she was, Jane didn't fall asleep as quickly. She lay there listening to Maura to breathe and thinking about the love growing between them. It was so unexpected. So unlikely. And not just because Maura was a woman, or a movie star, or even because she was the most amazing person Jane had ever met. What made it so unbelievable was the fact that Jane had long given up on the idea of truly being in love, dismissed it as a childhood fantasy fueled by Disney fairy tales and poorly-written movies. Like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, it made for a great story, a fun illusion, but nothing more. Yet here she was, in a fancy hotel on the other side of the world, holding tightly to the most precious thing she'd ever known – and absolutely, positively, _terrifyingly in love_.

The next morning, Maura woke early, feeling refreshed and cheerful. She gently eased out of bed, careful not to wake Jane, and sneaked back into her own room to order room service. While she waited for the attendant to arrive, she put on a pot of water to boil and opened the curtains to admire her spectacular view of Paris. Smiling down at the city, she realized how lucky she felt. She had always been thankful for her successful career and financial prosperity, but Jane's love was something so great, she wondered if she even deserved it. More than anything, she wondered if it could last. Maura still feared losing Jane – more than anything in the world – but she had decided to let herself fall, because she really couldn't stop herself anyway.

The room service attendant brought up a steaming breakfast platter, a bowl of fresh fruit, and a bag of French gourmet coffee beans, leaving them in the suite's kitchen and and silently retreating with his generous tip. Maura hummed to herself while she ground the beans and added them to the French press, then carefully poured the boiling water over the fresh grounds. She was stirring the slurry when Jane walked in.

"What's with all the– is that bacon I smell?"

Maura looked up and smiled. "Good morning! And yes, it's a breakfast platter with bacon, sausage, eggs, Belgian waffles, crepes-"

Jane raised an eyebrow. "Are you feeding the entire floor?"

"I didn't know what you'd want," she answered with a shrug, finishing her task and setting the timer.

Jane grinned and walked behind Maura, wrapping her arms around her waist and kissing her cheek. "Mmm... just you. But the food does smell really good."

"Coffee too," Maura added, nodding toward the steeping press. "It's Carte Noire. Very well-known here, but equally hard to find in the United States. It has a rich, full flavor, without the bitterness. It's delicious, I can't wait for you to try it!"

Jane looked at the bag and frowned at the French writing. "Uhn cafe nome deesir?" she profoundly mispronounced.

"Un café nommé désir," Maura corrected, the words rolling off her tongue in the sexiest way. "_A coffee named desire_."

"Desire?" Jane smirked. "I think I know a thing or two about that." She leaned down to place open-mouthed kisses on Maura's neck.

Maura let her head fall to the side, allowing Jane better access, and closed her eyes to revel in the sensation. Her skin ignited under Jane's lips and she tried to ignore the warmth growing between her legs. She didn't mind waiting until Jane was ready to have sex, but moments like this were making it increasingly difficult. She bit her lip to stifle a moan.

Jane barely noticed her hips pushing forward into Maura, who was meeting her with equal force. Maura's throat was so soft under her lips, and the scent of her skin made Jane dizzy. She could no longer deny the need that was burning deep inside her.

The timer went off and they both jumped, breaking apart just enough to come to their senses. Maura cleared her throat.

"That's the um- the coffee. It's- ready." She picked up the carafe and pressed down on the top, separating the dark liquid from the fresh grounds. Then she poured them each a cup and added a little cream and sugar for herself. Jane fixed hers as well and took a tentative sip.

"Wow!" She looked at Maura, who was watching her reaction intently. "You're right, this is quite possibly the best coffee I've ever had!"

Maura beamed. "Have some breakfast too."

Jane walked over to the covered dish and removed the lid, steam rising, the aroma filling her nostrils. Her mouth watered. She picked up a plate and filled it with a little bit of everything, knowing she couldn't eat it all, but determined to try anyway. Maura put some fruit on a small plate and joined Jane at the table.

"That's all you're having?" Jane scrunched her face at Maura's breakfast.

"I have a premiere this evening so I have to eat light."

"Is that why you're making googly-eyes at my bacon?"

Maura's face twisted, then she shrugged. "Just a small piece won't hurt," she said, picking up a slice from Jane's plate.

"Hey, get your own!" Jane said with a smile.

They talked about their schedule for the upcoming day and tried to work out some ground rules for discretion in public. No touching at all, unless it was a life-threatening emergency. All conversations should include at least one other person. No inside jokes. And smiling at each other should be avoided. It seemed simple enough.

They were wrong. Every inch of intentional distance between them felt like miles. The lack of their usual conversation made awkward minutes stretch into agonizing hours. And each woman found great difficulty in looking at the other without smiling, so they eventually started avoiding eye contact too. Jane glued herself to a chair in the corner while Maura was being made up, trying her best to ignore the way the actress's tailored scarlet dress hugged her incredible curves. Meanwhile, Maura couldn't stop stealing glances, trying to read Jane's face in the mirror. It was torture for them both.

They rode to the premiere in the back of a rented limousine with one of Maura's costars and both entourages. It was a bit crowded, and Jane and Maura ended up seated next to each other, pressed thigh to thigh. Jane could feel Maura's body heat through the fabric of her slacks, and subconsciously leaned in closer. She smelled incredible.

Maura noticed Jane's slight movement and the change in her breathing. She dared look her in the eye and their gazes locked. Jane swallowed. Maura licked her lips. They both looked away simultaneously. _So much for simple._

When the door opened to the crowd, they both went into work mode. Maura turned her attention to the cameras, smiling and posing with the other stars, while Jane took to seeking out potential dangers. With all the cameras and the event's own security, Jane would sometimes end up far enough that Maura could no longer sense her presence. Whenever this would happen, Jane would watch as Maura sought out her face among the hundreds, and felt her stomach jump every time eye contact was achieved. Maura's mouth would turn up into a satisfied smirk, and Jane would match it. Even across any distance, with any number of people between them, electricity flew from just that look.

After the showing, the cast decided on food and drinks at the hotel bar. Maura couldn't wait to be alone with Jane in the suite upstairs, but she knew she had to keep up appearances, so she slowly sipped a glass of red wine while the others got trashed on shot after shot of expensive liquor. Jane was seated with the other bodyguards, halfway between the stars and the door. While some of them were talking amongst themselves, Jane's attention was fixed on Maura, who also couldn't keep her eyes off Jane. It didn't matter how hard they tried to avoid it, their eyes always found each other, and everything else seemed to fall away. Jane was having a really hard time focusing on her job, and Maura could tell. It was as if they could speak their own secret language without words. When she decided her costars were intoxicated enough forgive her early departure, Maura excused herself back to her room with Jane in tow.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Jane had Maura pinned up against it. Maura let out a small yelp of surprise and excitement as Jane's lips enveloped hers, red hot passion spilling out and spiraling through them both. They pressed their bodies together hungrily, hands wildly roaming, searching, grasping. Maura pushed Jane's blazer down her arms and set to work unbuttoning her shirt until she could no longer restrain herself and she ripped the shirt open, sending the remaining buttons flying across the hardwood floor. Jane gasped as cool air hit her bare skin and allowed Maura to push the shirt off her back before grabbing Maura's wrists to pin them against the back of the door. With Maura's hands bound above her, Jane proceeded to nip and suck at her exposed neck, eliciting unrestrained moans from the smaller blonde. Part of Jane was yelling at her to stop and think about what she was doing, to consider if she was ready to take this step and face the possible consequences. But that part of her was being silenced by the burning desire that had been steadily growing within her, now uncontrollable as wildfire. Passion had completely taken over and there was no room left for fear or insecurity. As her mouth moved down Maura's hot flesh, her hands slid down her arms and around to her back, pulling down the zipper of her dress and running her hands along her bare back. As she pulled the dress down, she kissed every inch of skin as it became exposed: her freckled chest, ghosting over silk-covered nipples, down to the sensitive skin below her belly-button. Maura closed her eyes, gasping for breath, her legs trembling as the sensations took her over. When the dress finally fell to Maura's feet, Jane stood back up to her full height, grabbed Maura's ass and picked her up off the ground, wrapping her legs around her waist. Maura moaned loudly as Jane pressed her against the door, pushing her core into her as she kissed her deeply.

"Bed, Jane. Bed." Maura's voice was deep and breathy, full of lust. Jane obeyed, supporting both their weight as she made her way quickly to the king-sized bed. They fell back on the soft mattress, Jane's lips never stopping for a moment as she found Maura's breast and took it into her mouth, sucking through the fabric of her bra and running her teeth over the hardened bud.

"Oh Jane..."

The sound of her name on Maura's swollen lips was enough to make her moan. She moved to her other breast to worship it equally, Maura's hands threading into her hair, tugging at her wild curls. Maura's hands guided Jane's mouth back to her own, forceful tongues battling for dominance as she sat up, still straddling Jane's torso. Clothing had become too much a hindrance for Maura, and she quickly reached down, grasping the hem of Jane's tank top and pulling it off roughly. Jane returned her lips to Maura's, and reached her arms around her to unclasp her bra. Maura exhaled as she felt the release, then quickly did the same for Jane. They pressed their bodies desperately together, skin on hot sweaty skin, and for the first time Jane felt Maura's wetness through her silk panties, pressing hard against her. It was enough to drive her irrevocably mad. She didn't know it was possible to be this aroused.

Without ever removing her mouth from Maura, Jane pushed her back onto the bed, holding herself above her with her with one hand and fondling her breast with the other. Maura reached down to unbutton and unzip Jane's pants, tugging them at the hips in silent request. Jane obliged and quickly removed them, tossing them blindly across the room while keeping her attention firmly affixed on the woman in front of her. She hooked her fingers around the sides of Maura's lace thong and pulled it down smooth legs, exposing her fully. Jane had never seen anyone or anything so beautiful in all her life. A fresh wave of desire washed over her and she thrust her hips desperately downward. Maura let out a raw moan.

"Jane please..."

She palmed Maura's left breast while taking the other in her mouth and sucking hard, eliciting a sharp cry from the blonde. Maura was quaking beneath her, aching for release. She took Jane's hand from her breast and guided it through a light trail of curls to where she needed it most, pressing against hot flesh. They both gasped as Jane let a finger slide through wet folds, barely grazing the side of Maura's swollen clit.

"Jane please," Maura begged again, "I want you inside me."

A fresh wave of heat radiated through Jane's body and she pressed two long fingers to Maura's opening, teasing briefly, then thrust deep into her.

"Oh yes!" Maura's breath came out in short gasps as Jane developed a rhythm, pumping with her fingers and stroking her clit with her thumb. Maura was completely unhinged. She was so close already, all Jane had to do was curl her fingers and Maura's walls clenched around them. When Maura came, it was fully and loudly, without a single inhibition. Her body shook and she made the most delicious sounds, shouting affirmations and calling Jane's name like a prayer. Jane's heart raced and she became intoxicated at the sight and sound of it, helping Maura ride out her orgasm on her fingers.

When the last tremors left her body, Maura collapsed back into the bed, still breathing heavily. Jane withdrew her fingers, sucking Maura's juices from them, and fell down next to her. She figured Maura would need some time to recover, but Maura didn't miss a beat. With a strength and energy neither knew she had, she rolled on top of Jane and kissed her passionately, tasting herself on Jane's lips. She brought her thigh to rest between Jane's legs, adding pressure to her burning core as she nipped at her neck and shoulder, causing Jane's hips to thrust hungrily against her. Her skin was salty with sweat as Maura kissed her way to Jane's breasts, biting and sucking the hardened nipples. As hard as she tried, Jane could not control the throaty moans escaping her, desperate for the release that had been building for far too long. Maura sensed her need and removed her thigh to continue kissing downward, running her hands graciously over toned abs before slipping her fingers under the hem of Jane's panties and pulling them down and off her long legs. She ran her hands along the insides of Jane's thighs, spreading them open and placing hungry kisses along an upward path. The scent of Jane's arousal was heavy and tantalizing, and Maura closed her eyes as she ran her tongue through Jane's folds.

"Oh God, Maura..."

She circled her clit with her tongue and Jane's moans grew louder, hypnotizing her. As her tongue continued to tease and touch Jane's bundle of nerves, she slid a finger easily inside her opening, then two, and synced a rhythm with her fingers and tongue until Jane's hips bucked off the bed, intense pleasure washing over her in carefully orchestrated waves as she came silently, twice in quick succession.

Maura crawled back up Jane's body, a satisfied smirk on her face, and laid her head down on her shoulder, wrapping an arm around her waist and intertwining their legs. She had a sudden sharp need to be as physically as close to her as possible. Jane took her hand and laced their fingers together, silently taking a moment to catch her breath.

"So," Maura started, "all that worrying you did about our potential sexual incompatibility-"

"Waste of time," Jane finished with a chuckle. "Huge waste of time. Time that could have been spent doing _this_ instead."

Maura laughed and nodded. "True."

"So now I guess we have to make up for that lost time." She raised her eyebrows. "That was... well, let's just say I thought multiple orgasms were an urban legend until tonight."

A faint blush crept up Maura's cheeks at what she took as a personal compliment. "I told you you had nothing to worry about."

"Maura Isles, where have you been all my life?" she asked playfully.

Maura gave a genuine smile. "I've been waiting for you, of course."

Jane's heart swelled and she kissed her deeply. Kisses and light touches quickly turned into more as their arousal began to build again. They never stopped to count the hours that passed as they made love without haste, tenderly exploring each other's bodies, learning every inch, every curve, every scar. They cataloged every sound and the touch that elicited it. They touched and tasted and felt, and they forgot everything in the world that ever existed outside of the two of them. And when the sun came up, they watched it rise through the window, wrapped naked in each other in a state of unmatched bliss, before drifting off to sleep.


End file.
